


Putting a Label On It

by Spiderlily_Writes



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: AU: Edelgard talks to the other Lords and doesn't have to do a whole insurrection, F/F, Fluff, Gift Giving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:35:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29182629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spiderlily_Writes/pseuds/Spiderlily_Writes
Summary: It's Hilda's birthday, and she gets a special little something from a very special someone.
Relationships: Hilda Valentine Goneril/Edelgard von Hresvelg
Comments: 14
Kudos: 69





	Putting a Label On It

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This piece was a collaboration with @TripleXXXFox on twitter for Hilda's birthday! She did a really lovely piece of art to go with it, which you can find [here](https://twitter.com/TripleXXXFox/status/1357055550417174532?s=20)! This fic takes place in an AU where Edelgard talks to the other lords about things and doesn't try to overthrow the church yet/on her own. It's a contrivance.

Hilda stretches, trying to work some of the soreness out of her arms as she walks back to her dorm after training. Of all the injustices, of all the unbelievable cruelties in the world, it might just be the very worst that she was _forced_ to train on her birthday. She tried to wiggle out of it, pouted very prettily at Professor Byleth, complained the whole time, but despite her best efforts, her hands ended up on the shaft of her axe, anyways.

Cruelty. Truly.

And now, to add injury to insult, she’s all sore. Having reasoned that some time in the sauna might help with that, she’s trying to get back and change into the appropriate clothing before she can be pulled aside by any well-meaning friends wanting to wish her a happy birthday. She loves them all, truly, and it’s so kind of everyone to make such an effort, but she’d really rather just get on with her day and relax.

She’s so lost in thought that she almost doesn’t hear someone clear their throat behind her. But she _does_ hear it, ultimately, and whirls, arms still extended in the air, to identify the source of the noise.

“Hilda,” Edelgard says, by way of greeting. There’s a small smile on her face, a rare, wry, mischievous look that Hilda doesn’t get to see too terribly often, and her hands are behind her back, out of sight. “Today is your birthday, is it not?” she asks, taking a step closer.

Hilda softens a little bit, relaxing and lowering her arms. If there’s one person in the whole world she can trust not to waste time, it’s Edelgard. “Oh, yeah,” she says. “Why, did ya get me something?”

“Of course,” Edelgard says, and that surprises Hilda a little bit. Edelgard is her—well, she doesn’t know if she would say _girlfriend_. Rival? Rival-with-benefits? They tease each other and make out sometimes. It’s complicated. Hilda finds it to be less stressful if she just doesn’t label it. “Was I not supposed to?” she asks, cocking an eyebrow. “I was under the impression that it was something you do for a friend, and it’s doubly important for someone you’re courting.”

She feels her face go hot and she coughs, sheepish. Well. So much for not putting a label on it. “Uh. Yeah. I suppose it is,” Hilda admits. “So what is it?”

Edelgard brings her hand around before her, letting Hilda see a box, a little larger than her head, wrapped in pink paper and tied up with a pretty black bow. It’s very well done. Meticulously so. That really shouldn’t come as a shock; Edelgard doesn’t do anything halfway.

“Open it,” Edelgard says, tossing it to Hilda, who fumbles it at first, but manages to keep it from hitting the ground. The other woman snorts, and Hilda glowers at her. But like, in a playful sort of way.

“Laugh it up, my arms feel like they’re gonna fall off after sparring today,” Hilda grumbles, tugging at the bow. Edelgard leans against the wall of the hallway, watching her with interest as she pulls the bow off, then begins to tug the wrapping paper open, trying not to seem too eager.

The wrappings come away to reveal a small box, which in turn opens to reveal…

A bear stuffy?

Hilda cocks her head, curious, reaching into the box to pull it out. “It’s, uh,” she begins, but trails off when the thing is completely revealed. The bear is dressed in, unbelievably, an impeccable approximation of Edelgard’s Officer Academy uniform. It has the same jacket, same skirt, even a pair of red tights and absolutely precious little shoes, complete with a red half-cape adorning its back.

She snorts and looks up at Edelgard, who looks like she is trying very, very hard to contain a smile. She’s not succeeding. It’s kind of cute, and Hilda herself is doing her best not to blush. “Okay, the bear is pretty cute, but why’d you dress it like you? I mean, I know you’re pretty far up your own ass, but—”

“Smell it.”

“Huh?”

“Smell the bear, Hilda.”

One of the weirder requests she’s ever received, but sure. She shrugs, lifting the bear to her nose and smelling it. Her eyes go wide as she does, because it smells just like Edelgard. Her perfume, specifically, a light, not-too-strong floral aroma that Hilda has found herself becoming quite fond of over the last couple of months. “I…” Hilda stammers, at a loss as her heart swells. “I don’t…”

Now, Edelgard lets the smile find its way onto her lips. “I sprayed a generous amount of my favorite perfume on the stuffing inside. It should hold the scent for quite some time, but I’m happy to refresh it, if you ever need,” she says. “Do you like it?”

Hilda’s a little embarrassed about how much she likes it, actually, so she deflects the question with one of her own. “What, uh, gave you the idea?”

This time, it’s Edelgard’s turn to look a little shy, and that alleviates a little bit of Hilda’s tension, assures her this isn’t just some weird joke. “Well…My duties to the Empire often take me away from Garreg Mach,” Edelgard says. “I thought you might like something to keep you company, while I’m away.” And then she repeats her question. “Do you like it, though?”

Hilda considers downplaying it, but the anxiousness with which Edelgard awaits her answer is obvious, and she decides to, for once, just be sincere.

“Yeah. I like it a lot,” she admits, closing the distance between herself and Edelgard, leaning in, and kissing her on the cheek. She catches another whiff of that lovely perfume, feels Edelgard’s breath on her face as the other woman gasps in surprise. When she leans back away, she clears her throat. “But I uh…I don’t miss you _that_ much,” she says, defensively.

Edelgard smirks. “Well, then it should be no trouble for you to return the shirt you stole from me,” she says, and Hilda freezes.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hilda insists, too quickly. Edelgard gives her a level look.

“Hilda, you, of all people, should know that I am very meticulous about my possessions. My shirts don’t simply ‘go missing’, and you and Hubert are the only two people who are ever in my room at night,” Edelgard says, and before Hilda can respond, she adds, “…and only _you_ , when I’m asleep.”

Her deduction is damning, and Hilda knows she’s been caught.

“I can’t believe you’d attack me like this. On my _birthday_!” Hilda whines, but it’s half-hearted, and she knows that Edelgard knows that.

“How about,” Edelgard offers, ever diplomatic, “you return my shirt to its rightful place after dinner tonight, and I will see to it that you are… _justly compensated_ for your loss. Fair?”

Hilda sighs, as though severely put-upon. “Goddess, I _guess_.”

“Very good.” Edelgard leans in and, in a surprisingly daring public display, kisses Hilda on the lips. The gesture is warm, familiar, and strong, just like Edelgard herself, and Hilda whines in protest when she pulls away.

“Happy birthday, Hilda. I am glad to share it with you.”

As Edelgard—her girlfriend, she supposes—walks away, Hilda can’t help but consider that she’s pretty glad, too.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks! I hope you enjoyed! Special thanks to [@TripleXXXFox](https://twitter.com/TripleXXXFox) for collaborating with me! Go show her some love! And if you'd like to catch more of my work as it comes, find me on twitter [@spiderlilywrite](https://twitter.com/spiderlilywrite)!
> 
> Happy Birthday, Hilda!


End file.
